The News reported recently on consideration by Henry County Supervisors to shut down all four rural waste and recycle collection sites. This comes on the recommendation of the contractor collecting the waste.

This discussion should not even be happening.

A contract exists whereby the contractor committed to providing the service. The contract reads, "Mike Prottsman Sanitation shall provide for the collection and disposal of Henry County rural residential solid waste and recyclables generated at the Main Site and four (4) mobile sites."

This seems awfully clear. There is nothing elsewhere in the contract to counter this language.

According to Mr. Prottsman as reported in the News, County Attorney, Darin Stater told him "eliminating rural sites does not change the contract."

To be sure, any attorney worth his salt can find wiggle room in contract language even though this language is solid. Where there is no wiggle room is in the spirit of the contract or the agreement between the supervisors and the citizens of rural Jefferson, Wayne, Scott, Trenton, Marion, Canaan, Tippecanoe, New London, Salem, Jackson and Baltimore townships.

Many of these citizens have come to rely on this service and with few exceptions agree it has had a wonderful impact on beautifying rural Henry County and promoting recycling. With each year illegal dumping decreases and recycling increases.

Mr. Prottsman should be expected to honor his commitment. If he won't or is unable to do so he should read paragraph nine of the contract. If he has a better idea he should submit it in writing to the supervisors as they prepare solicitations for a new contract in 2018.

Dave Helman-Aug 27

Dear editor,

It is not surprising that during difficult times Donald Trump lacks the moral leadership seen in past presidents. Trump is not a moral man. He is a self-serving opportunist.

The tragedy in Charlottesville proves the point. Trump can't bring himself to courageously and convincingly condemn the neo-nazi white supremacists as he has put his lot with their ideology and they fill the halls of his West Virginia rallies. No matter they are not good for the nation if they are good for Trump.

President Trump sees people as opportunity. He has cast off wives when they no longer make him look good. Settlement pay-offs, hush money and lawsuit threats from sophisticated law firms are tools of his trade when a woman, contractor or business associate is no longer of use.

All in Trump's circle live by non-disclosure agreements. With this tool of control Trump can have his way with them while they meekly shrink from sight when the relationship sours.

Trumps business practices are not those of the business leaders in our town. His are of the con man and mob boss. When American banks won't lend money he goes to shady operators overseas.

Trump takes pride in avoiding taxes when great revenue is needed for our troops as they fight and die in foreign wars. He then panders to veterans. This is not moral.

Donald Trump lives in a "What's in it for me?" world. It is a world of high rollers, lobbyists, con-men, foreign operatives, Putin type strong men and greed.

Despite the deceit he has fed well meaning voters Donald Trump is and has always been the swamp.

The Roosevelts, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama defined moral courage in times of crisis. They'd all stay well clear of the Trump swamp.Dave Helman-Aug 15

Our National CEOSo Mr. Trump is flip-flopping all over the place, he and his family are enriching themselves through the office of the president, and his is angry because Congress and the courts are not falling all over themselves, bowing and chanting, “Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir!” Of course, this is all true because he considers America his personal corporation.He promises to “run the country like a business,” so we should expect this behavior. Businesses are run from the top down with the chief executive holding dictatorial power. The only appropriate response by underlings is obedience.Businesses have one goal: make money. How they make money is immaterial. Corporate mission statements are for public consumption; the only principle is “do whatever it takes to make money.” Thus, a business will change tactics depending on current conditions. If pundits are scratching their heads over Mr. Trump’s overall strategic vision, there is good reason. He has none. His only vision is to make money as the chief executive of USA, Inc. We need to let him know that as citizens of a nation, not employees of his private company, we find his actions unacceptable.-Jeff Fager- May 1, 2017

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Iowa Flush with CashGood news! The Iowa budget crunch is over. Republican legislators have discovered that the state coffers are so full that we can refuse federal funds and pay for women’s health services from our own wallet.I am sure they must have known that the services provided by Planned Parenthood (paid by federal dollars)—which includes medical exams, screening for STDs and cancer, family planning counselling, and birth control—saved the state money in the long run and reduced the number of abortions. I suppose they believed that since Iowa was so well-off that we could tell Washington to send our federal tax dollars to needier states. We will use our own $3 million to provide those services.This was a very generous act. We can now look forward to the legislature restoring all those painful, but “necessary,” cuts to core areas like education. I can’t wait to see what other gifts we Iowans might receive now that the Republicans have demonstrated how rich we are.

Looming DictatorshipWe now have an occupant of the White House who:

Suggested withdrawing federal aid to universities that don’t conform to his standards,

Called members of the judiciary derogatory names,

Threatened to dissolve the Ninth District Court,

Referred to the constitutional separation of powers as “archaic” and “really a bad thing for the country,”

Continuously derided the press,

Considered challenging the first amendment protection of freedom of the press,

And now has fired the director of the FBI while it is investigating the administration’s links to Russia.

These are the actions of a would-be dictator. It is past time to get serious about preventing the collapse of American democracy. We must demand the establishment of an independent investigator to stop this slide into tyranny.

- Jeff Fager- May 10, 2017

Failed Presidency

Many left-wing pundits are claiming that Mr. Trump’s presidency has already failed after only six months.

I suppose if you are an American citizen that actually cares about America and you see that nothing of substance has been accomplished by a Republican controlled Congress with a Republican president during this “honeymoon” period, you might come to that conclusion.

However, if you are a member of the Trump family, you would consider this presidency a huge success. They are making out like bandits—literally.